Today Kathi Goertzen is awake, alert and talking after spending ten and a half hours in brain surgery yesterday. The doctors were able to get rid of the dangerous new tumor that was growing close to Kathi’s brain stem.

That’s the good news.

However, they were not able to save the facial nerve and they do admit the tumor cells will likely grow back. So the race continues as doctors try to find the right treatment, and the fight for Kathi continues.

KOMO’s News Director, Holly Gauntt, spoke with Kathi this morning. Kathi was able to talk and even make jokes, showing her usual funny and feisty spirit. And we've just learned Kathi was taken out of intensive care and moved to a regular room.

Kathi and her family say they are completely overwhelmed by the amazing outpouring of support from viewers and people from all around the country. Right now, more than 44,000 people are following Kathi on Facebook. (And the page was started on Tuesday at 5:00 PM!) People are posting on her wall, offering their prayers and love.

Kathi wants everyone to know that she is reading those messages. In fact, it was the first thing she did this morning. If you would like to leave Kathi a message, you can find her Facebook page here.

For most of Tuesday and Wednesday Kathi Goertzen's name was also a trending topic on Twitter in Seattle, as people shared the link to her Facebook page and offered their love and support.

Everyone in the newsroom expected Kathi would receive a lot of support, but we never imagined tens of thousands of people in just a few days. It has been truly amazing and shows the power of social media to unite a community.